What happens when female surfers visit Israel

Five women from different backgrounds came together and explored the beauty of Israel. They got a great taste of Tel Aviv and went surfing. Wanting to empower women and girls, they ended up walking away with so much more.

Surfing

This water sport has been around for hundreds of years. It was first observed by the British in Tahiti around 1767. In fact, even Mark Twain wrote about surfing. In 1907, Henry Huntington brought the ancient art of surfing to the California coast.

Tel Aviv Beaches

These Mediterranean beaches play a major role in Tel Aviv’s cultural and touristic scene. In fact, the beaches are often ranked as some of the best in the world. About 16 million people visit Hayarkon park annually. In addition to surfing, people often go to the beaches to relax, play “matkot” (beach paddle-ball) and swim. A beautiful fourteen kilometer long (or 8.5 mile long) boardwalk runs along the Mediterranean.

The Carmel Shuk in Tel Aviv

A shuk is the Hebrew word for an outdoor marketplace. The Carmel marketplace is the largest and most famous in the region. It all started in 1913, when Arthur Ruppin, a Jewish thinker and Zionist, visited other Zionists in Russia. He told them about Israel. The colleagues in Russia agreed to buy land there and bought properties. In 1917, those Russian Zionists lost their possessions in the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. They fled to Israel, where the only thing they had was the land that they bought four years previously. They sought permission to open a market place there, and Tel Aviv mayor Meir Dizengoff agreed. In 1920, the Carmel marketplace officially opened.

It’s no wonder that when these women came to Israel, they had such a positive experience. Surfing can be very empowering, and these women are helping to empower a new generation. What an awesome adventure!